Dental Laboratory Technology Certificate
The Only Dental Lab Technology Associate Degree in the DC Metro Area!
The only Dental Laboratory Technology Associate Degree in the DC Metro Area—plus a Certificate option for career-focused training. Build hands-on skills in crowns, bridges, dentures, CAD/CAM, 3D printing, and more.
Excellent facility: Renovated Spacious Lecture Rooms and Laboratory with Newly Purchased Equipment!
This allied dental degree at Columbia College trains students to design and construct dental prostheses, including crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, and orthodontic appliances, based on dentists’ prescriptions. Through lab‑based and classroom instruction, students develop the advanced technical such as 3D printing and CAD/CAM and artistic skills required for modern dental laboratory work.
Learn from Experienced Dental Laboratory Professionals
Train with qualified instructors who bring practical dental laboratory knowledge and real-world industry experience to every class.
Meet Our Instructor, Dr. Elbanna
Latifa Elbanna brings more than 20 years of clinical and academic experience in prosthodontics, Crown & Bridge, CAD/CAM technology, cosmetic dentistry, and implantology. With a PhD in Clinical Dentistry and extensive experience training junior dentists and managing complex restorative cases, she helps students build the technical precision and digital workflow knowledge needed in today’s dental laboratory field.
Federal Student Aid Notice
Federal Pell Grants are available to eligible undergraduate students with demonstrated financial need. Eligibility and estimated award amounts are determined based on information provided on the FAFSA®. Final financial aid offers are determined by the school. To apply or learn more, visit StudentAid.gov.
Meet Our Current Student, Paula
Advances in digital dentistry, cosmetic dentistry, and restorative treatments have increased demand for high‑quality crowns, bridges, dentures, and orthodontic appliances, creating ongoing need for skilled dental laboratory technicians. Although national employment projections for dental and ophthalmic laboratory technicians show little overall growth, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reports thousands of job openings each year as experienced technicians retire or move into other roles, and employers continue to replace and upgrade staff.
Technicians with formal training and strong hands‑on skills typically have better job prospects and can advance into senior technician, lead technician, department supervisor, or dental laboratory manager positions. For many graduates, this combination of technical specialization, advancement potential, and the ability to eventually manage or own a lab makes dental laboratory technology a stable and rewarding career path.
Educational Outcomes/Settings
Graduates in Dental Laboratory Technology Certificate program develop the technical and artistic skills required to work as dental laboratory technicians in commercial labs, private dental practices, hospitals, and dental schools in the Washington, DC metropolitan area and Northern Virginia with experience may go on to manage their own laboratories, supervise departments, or take on leadership roles as dental lab managers or department heads.
The program trains students to fabricate a full range of dental prostheses—including crowns, bridges, dentures, partials, and orthodontic appliances—using modern materials, equipment, and digital lab technologies.
Opportunities in Virginia
Approximately 500 dental labs in Virginia seek skilled dental laboratory technicians and related specialists.
Median Salary
$63,460
per year$30.51
per hourIdentification
- •Passport
- •Driver's License
- •State-issued ID
Education History
- •Diploma/school transcript (at least high school)
- •General Equivalency Diploma (GED)
- •DD-214 form
Application Fee
Domestic$100
International Applicants
This program is currently unavailable for international students
Non-Native English Speakers
CaMLA (Cambridge Michigan Language Assessments) English Test to define the English level.
Compliances & Guidelines
Industry Associations
